comment #1

JChasse says ...

I penciled this on my "probably will go see" list when I first saw the trailer. Thanks for the confirmation.

Sort of seems like I should have a link to a page that sells boots here, doesn't it?

comment #2

Snoop Marlo says ...

DeNiro looks like an old man. The days of looking slick in films like 'Heat' are over.

comment #3

Rich S. says ...

Sure sounds like a review to me, albeit one with the details left deliberately vague. But I'm glad we got it.

comment #4

Mike says ...

That's great news Jeff. I had written De Niro off a long time ago.

comment #5

sumo-pop says ...

How completely unexpected. I was thinking it was going to be high grade Skinemax picture (not that there's anyhting wrong with that). Be careful, Jeff. You have just mightily raised my expectations.

comment #6

Spartan Tell says ...

If the second half of the film goes in unexpected directions, that's akin to a major plot twist, which they can't (or at least shouldn't) put into the trailers. It definitely needs sizable WoM.

comment #7

Jonathan Spuij says ...

I'm glad it didn't turn out the way the trailers made you believe. I'm excited now.

comment #8

DiscoNap says ...

This is kind of staggering. Nothing would please me more than this film being good though.

comment #9

scooterzz says ...

"That's great news Jeff. I had written De Niro off a long time ago."

he's got a nice turn in 'machete' coming up also.....

comment #10

LarryGopnik says ...

I don't want to start flinging accusations around, like, say, "Wells is smoking crack," but...

The movie's a fucking mess. Sure, one could stare at it really hard, and try to pretend like it's actually saying something substantive, but it's grasping at straws at every turn, and never congeals into... anything.

It's borderline-incoherent at times, and none of the actors involved seem to be terribly aware of what they're supposed to be doing, Norton most of all.

Predicting now that it's likely to be "misunderstood" is the definition of bet-hedging. Mark my words, when reviews hit, Jeff's going to be largely alone on this one. Consider me gobsmacked.

comment #11

Overstreet says ...

Interesting, Wells.

Last time you posted something about this film, folks prematurely buried the movie based on an untrustworthy trailer.

http://www.hollywood-elsewhere.com/2010/07/jailbird_hair.php

I had seen the film already, and was dismayed by the way almost everybody in the Comments wrote it off almost immediately. Granted, it *was* a lousy trailer. But come on -- haven't we learned not to trust trailers yet?

"I can't quite put my finger on it, but pretty much everything about this trailer repels me from seeing this, ever." - crazynine

"I think I rented this at 7/11 in 1990. It starred Shannon Whirry and Marc Singer." - G. Prager

"DeNiro in another sleep walking role." - moviechick44

"The fact [Norton] thinks he's the most intelligent actor in films, so he has to re-write screenplays and give extensive input on direction has led to this...." - va

"You'd think DeNiro would look at Pacino after his incredible You Don't Know Jack performance and think - I better step it up. But.....apparently not." -jjgittes

"DeNiro in another OVERTURE released film, the same "studio" who brought us RIGHTEOUS KILL, I think I'll pass. It's so fucking painful to watch a man who helped define the art of modern acting reduce himself to a third tier studio financed picture for the sake of a buck." -nodirectionhome

""For those of you who weren't disappointed enough by The Score..." Christ, this looks tired. Of course he hasn't been truly great in years, but DeNiro doesn't even seem capable of/motivated to phone in decent performances anymore, like he was able to do pretty consistently in the late-90s" - CitizenKanedforPostingThoughts

etc, etc.

I said it then, I'll say it now. We can't trust trailers.

Whether or not you think it's a great film, you will have to admit that DeNiro actually *works* to create a character here. And shouldn't the name John Curran have prompted us to give the movie a chance? (I loved "The Painted Veil," and "We Don't Live Here Anymore" was overlooked and underrated.)

Is is possible that, when we bury movies ahead of time based on previews or early script drafts, we're contributing to the failure of movies that we may, in retrospect, wish had succeeded?

comment #12

Circumvrent says ...

I feel like I'd probably be interested in seeing this movie even if it didn't go to all these sorts of different places, but hearing that only makes me more interested.

Between this and The Town, it'll be a good fall for crime dramas.

comment #13

Snoop Marlo says ...

I wonder how Lex would look in cornrows?

Perhaps, like Jerry Rice or Stevie Wonder?

comment #14

Jeffrey Wells says ...

Larry Gopnik didn't get it, didn't like it, wasn't his cup...fine. But not respecting the chops and the unsualness and the decision not to go in certain places is not cool. And he's dead fucking wrong to call it "a mess."

comment #15

French Ant says ...

(No relation to this)
Jeff, I think you might be interested in Emanuel Levy's *raving* review of "Blue Valentine".
http://www.emanuellevy.com/reviews/details.cfm?id=15116

comment #16

Kieslowski says ...

Thanks for the preview. I am huge fan of DeNiro's work (up to Casino/Heat) so its really great to hear that he is actually making an effort in this. I will definitely see this movie.

comment #17

Absinth Quell Pro says ...

I love how you go from saying this is an Eloi movie, to saying the Eloi probably won't get it.

What a surprise, another post where you wind up backtracking all over what you said previously, based on a promotional photo or teaser trailer or what not. You're like a weatherman without equipment sometimes, Wells.

comment #18

lawnorder says ...

The Milla Jovovich role was supposed to be played by Sienna Miller at one time. That would have been the far superior movie. Jovovich gives everything a B-movie taint.

comment #19

DiscoNap says ...

except of course the whole being a better actress thing.

comment #20

moviechick44 says ...

Save it. I'm not a Mila Jovovivh fan. I don't think is a very good actress. And one wrong cast member can ruin a film's chemistry and rhythm. I think if the movie is at least passable it's a postive thing.
How come nobody ever brings up that the film was tore to shreds by an earlier pre-screening ?
And as for Curran... I honestly didn't think anything super special about The Painted Veil.

comment #21

Ryansi51 says ...

moviechick44-

You put words one after another like everyone else, but for the life of me I can't figure out what the hell you're trying to say.

comment #22

austin111 says ...

Well, I really hope Ed Norton is better than he looks in this trailer. I really just don't buy him in those dopey corn rows. To some he is a powerful actor, but to me he often seems rather dweebish. In the right role he's fine, but I just never quite get the over the moon adoration for him. Each to his own, I suppose.

comment #23

CitizenKanedForPostingThoughts says ...

lawnorder -- just wanted to say "b-movie taint" made me laugh (in addition to being a potentially great handle on this site!).

comment #24

moviechick44 says ...

Ryanis51... I think my post is pretty self explanatory, but if you found the pasable comment miscontrued, I just meant, if the film is even decent at best, than it's a winner because so many people were ready to kill it. ( and some audience members already have )